Clay Plaster Tierrafino Finish

How to apply Tierrafino "Finish", plastering instructions for application of one of the finest clay plaster in the world

Application circumstances

The minimum temperature for applying Tierrafino Finish clay plaster is 5 degrees Celsius.

Mixing

A bag of Tierrafino Finish clay plaster finishes (25 kg) should be mixed with 4-6 liters of water. Mix until a smooth paste is achieved. Tierrafino Finish clay plaster can be applied straight after mixing, but after having left the clay plaster wet in a bucket for a day, the plaster will be a little easier to apply. After having mixed clay finishes with straw and water, plastering the mixture within a week.

Preparation of substrates

Treat smooth substrates with Tierrafino Contact and highly absorbing substrates with Tierrafino Fix. Moisten absorbing substrates with water before applying clay plaster to give yourself enough time to finish Tierrafino Finish clay plaster in a good tempo. Only when the wall has been treated with Tierrrafino Contact should you not moisten the wall before applying clay plaster.

To reinforce external corners jute or glass fibre mesh can be held onto the corner onto which clay plaster is applied. Avoid plastering thick on external corners.

Application

Clay plaster Tierrafino Finish should be applied with a laying on trowel or a machine-sprayer at a thickness of 2-4 mm.

Finish 1: coarse finish

After Tierrafino Finish clay plaster has set somewhat, when only the outer 1 mm is still workable, the wall should be shaped with a moist sponge. By rubbing the wall in circular motions material is taken away where there is too much and left behind where there is less than in direct surrounding areas. Rub along with the wall with not too much force, pushing too hard will create dents in the surface.

By repeating rubbing with a sponge the wall will become finer in texture, more and more small holes will be closed. However, because the wall is not trowelled down anymore there will remain a more or less coarse textured finish.

Now let the wall/object dry.

Finish 2: smooth finish

After Tierrafino Finish clay plaster has stiffened up a bit, when only the outer 1 mm is still workable, the wall should be shaped with a moist sponge. By rubbing the wall in circular motions material is taken away where there is too much and left behind where there is less than in direct surrounding areas. Rub along with the wall with not too much force, pushing too hard will create dents in the surface.

After the shine of water has dissappeared from the surface, Tierrrafino Finish clay plaster finishes should be trowelled, polished with a plastic trowel. A metal trowel will leave stains from oxidation. When you press too hard with the plastic trowel onto a still too wet plaster, small or larger air bubbles will appear behind the plaster. Puncture this bubble with, preferably, a needle, and press the clay plaster back onto the substrate from all angles in the direction of the puncture. Now fill the puncture itself, if necessary.

Now let the wall/object dry.

Finishing Tierrafino clay finishes

When the wall has dried but not fully, when it is still overall equally moist, the wall must be gently wiped once more with a damp sponge and then brushed with a horse hair- or coconut-brush. When brushing to soon, stripe-marks will be left in the, still soft. When brushing too late, the surface will be damaged by the brush, only clay and sand will be rubbed from the wall. When you are too late, you can solve the problem by wetting the wall with a plant spray prior to brushing the wall.

Because of brushing the wall with a coconut-brush, the real shine of Tierrafino Finish clay plaster reveals itself. The surface will be hard and wipe proof after brushing when it is done intensively, by brushing too soft the wall will not be wipe proof.

Another way of finishing Tierrafino Finish clay plaster is to rub the wall in circles with your handpalm, before Finish stiffened up. This doesn’t bring any harm to your handpalm.

Reinforcing clay plaster finishes with Tierrrafino Fix

Pre mixing
Mix 1 liter Tierrafino Fix with 4 liters water, stir it well. Now add 25 kg Tierrafino Finish clay plaster to the mixture and stir well until a spreadable paste is achieved. Apply this mixture to the wall or ceiling as described on the clay plaster application page of this web site.

After laying on
Mix 1 part Tierrafino Fix with 4 parts water, stir well into a bucket. Apply Tierrafino Finish as described, after stiffening of the plaster, sponge the clay plaster with the mixture of Fix and water. After this treatment, follow the Tierrafino Finish clay plaster application as mentioned.

At a later stage
After Tierrafino Finish clay plaster has been applied and succesfully finished, Tierrafino Fix may be applied in the following manner: Mix 1 part Tierrafino Fix with 4 parts warm water, spray regular water onto the finished clay plaster to make it overall equally moist, e.g. the colour of the clay plaster must be dark. Do not saturate the plaster, apply only just enough water to have the colour change. When the clay plaster is moist, apply the mixture of water and Fix with a sponge by way of very light circular movements onto Tierrafino clay plaster. Now brush Tierrafino Finish as described on the Tierrafino clay plaster application page.

Note: the second way of applying Tierrafino Fix (after laying on) is regarded the most efficient and easy way of application.

Other finishing possibilities

Tierrafino Finish clay plaster is suitable for veiled techniques. A veiled technique is a technique where more colours are used.

Tierrafino Finish clay plaster can be mixed with coarse grained sand (with a maximum of 15%). This creates the possibility to apply thicker layers (up to 10 mm) Tierrafino Finish. This mixture creates the same effect as fine Granite. The different sorts of sand that can be used in combination with Tierrafino Finish are: Mother of Pearl, Nero Ebano, Runkel Red sand, natural Black glass, Yellow Sienna sand. Fibres which can also be also be used are, for example: straw. These examples create all different kinds of special effects. Please have a look at colours.

Labour intensity

Average daily production is about 30-35 square meters clay plaster (excluding pre- handling)
The weight of Tierrafino Finish clay plaster is approx. 3.5 kg per square metre.

Necessary quantity

One bag of 25 kg Tierrafino Finish clay plaster covers approx.:
- 5 m2 smooth finish
- 7 m2 coarse finish 

Disposal

Tierrafino Finish clay plaster leftovers can be thrown away in the garden
(pure natural product).

Safety advice

Tierrafino Finish clay plaster does not have to be kept from children.
Tierrafino Finish clay plaster has no harmful properties.
Tierrafino Finish clay plaster is made from earth, it can also be used as garden- soil.

Storage

Tierrafino Finish clay plaster is also in wet form unlimited bearable and 100% recycable. Once Tierrafino Finish clay plaster has been mixed with straw, it should be used within a few days. After that the straw will start to mould.

Packaging

Tierrafino Finish Clay Plaster is delivered in:

20 kg bucket x Europalet= 36 x 20 kg Tierrafino
25 kg bag x Europalet= 42 x 25 kg Tierrafino

Delivery time 

Tierrafino Finish clay plaster can be delivered in one week.

Although this product-description has been put together with utmost precision, Tierrafino will not be liable for any indirect or direct damage that may occur, by using the information offered in this product description.